Top English players face Champions Trophy decision

LONDON : England's senior players will be asked if they want to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in September after the International Cricket Council (ICC) ruled that the tournament would go ahead despite security fears in the region.

The ICC confirmed on Thursday that the event would not be moved after the Pakistan Cricket Board offered assurances over the safety of competitors.

But it is understood the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), along with their counterparts in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are unhappy at the ruling.

The ECB will consult key figures in the England squad to see if they are still willing to make the trip and a decision could come as soon as Friday.

If the players opt not to go the ECB would have to decide whether to send an under-strength team or pull out of the event entirely.

A spokesman for the ECB said: "Following the decision of the ICC, the ECB will be having further extensive discussions with a number of key stakeholders - including England players and Team England - to determine our decision.

"Once those discussions are concluded, the ECB will be in a position to make a clear decision."

Pakistan's suitability to stage the tournament was called into question after a spate of bombings in the country, the most recent coming in June when a suicide bomber killed 15 people in the capital, Islamabad.

As part of the decision, it was announced an ICC task force will head to Pakistan prior to the tournament to evaluate security measures in host cities Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.